Instrument for locating and spacing bored holes



Sept. 4, 1945. s R BQIYER 2,384,071

INSTRUMENT FOR LOCATING AND SPACING BORED HOLES Filed Nov. 23, 1943 3 Shets-Sheet 1 7 lb lo F/q.2

l'O- IS: 22 q, ai -24 2| 26 SAMUEL Q. BOYE/Q A hwss g Q Sept; 4, '1945.

5. R. BOYER/ INSTRUMENT FOR LOCAEING AND SPACING BORED HOLES I5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Nov. 25, 1943 SA/VN/EL Q, BOYE/Q Patented Sept. 4, 1945 "PATENT DP InsmuMEnT invention relaztes to 1531'! z-instr-ument f or use in precision zoperatiims including die- 'or jigeenstruction. a

'I-n existing-practice; even when the centers of two holes are laid lon zametal-sunface and duly menterpunched, .a-nd drilled the-greatest Qffifll'B-lbj? ofeidnill caress all in good or- (are larger drill used, Md therewill "be enahnost unavoidable er-rarer anpreciable "extent. as :to location and-center to center spacing dependmgpn th sizeeef the drill and the degree of accuracy with which'the drill point was ground; iurtherathe axistofethe hole will not :be exactl s u emost generally followed by machinietg- .Machines ,known as iis borerslare obtainable, but areexpensive, and iii-their uselthehighest .grade of machinists are required. The :plateor die to be lbored is clamped tothe work table and caretul-l-y squared, indicated and measured, a very slow, tedious and expensive operations In the arbsence of a Jig borer, a lathe-or milling machinemay be used. The plate, Jig m di-erequi-red to he exactly bored is firstlaid out with lines ionthe surface showing the centers of the holes required. Small holes are drilled and tapped .in :said centers and small precision ground steel cylinders, known as buttons, are secured :by

screws in tapped holes, and exact 10- :i.

ingbetween'or Qverthe buttons, the exact correct position is established and the buttons then tightemdhyateresaidscrews,v: n e

plateprjig ordie thus'butto dislcarefully clamped to the taco plate and ad- Justed until onebutton .lby means are. precision indicator is jound to-. revolve with its axis .in exact-coincidence with the axislof the rotating head orface ,plate. The button is then removed and dr-illing andtboring the :hole to the correct is the finalzstepin .theproduction of one hole exactly-located fllhe plate jig or die is then shifted to. bringthe nextwbutton in the exact center and theprocess ls repeated- I Notwithstanding theelaborate and painstak ing method described, the holes thus produced may be rfromfiOllfv-sinch.to film-inch center-tocenter enter and their axes not exactly square with thehuttoned-surtwe-and time required is: live oriten as-greet es with the improved deviceottheinventicn. w

are

owever, this -:is the practice FOR-.LOCATING AND smonw .nonsn HOLES I SamuYRJBoyer, Westminster, Md. v ApplicationNovember 23, 1943, Serial No. 511,428-

1182, it will belfnund, nfteredrilling, that the holes V 4-4 in Figure '2.

The object of the invent-ion. is to 'lovercome the above suggested 'and other difficulties-and Ideneiencies of the inner methods and practice and to provide faedevice' whereby two for more heles -ef the-same size can %be drilled to an; exact. predetermined center-to-rcenter,spacing; and exactly square or, in other wordsget -rightangle s or mal to the surface of =t-hevmaterial tobendri-l-led and, or, a single -hole can"beeprec:lse1y,.,located and bored exactly square and ofexactsize.

It is also of importance't-hat the device or the invention can he produced. at; relatively small cost, land can he used withsatistactory results by a workman of ordinary skill; opernting with reasonable care, -andlturther the "opemm :pez formed with the improved device is simple and quick, the saving of time effected in addition to the increased precision being of great importance.

While the :devicea's described enables the me- 'chanic to accurately drill bnt one sizeghole as above out-lined, or a series .of 'holes in precise relationr each to the other, the system, includes, when required, a .follow-up of the holes thus drilled by enlarging them with (counter-bores vand reamers, and whereby theholes thus; beredare made ready to .receive the pins, ishaits, ror bush lugs for which the holes were -made. Both the device as a whole,..and various features and de; tails thereof separately considered are believed to represent important advances in the arTt -nd both-are capableof variationwithin thekllL-of the .averagemechanic departure Ironrme spirit- 01 the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, lhave illustrated. as an. example of the explication of .the invention, a 'precisionfdevice which is at present regarded as the preferred form .and certain optional modifications and/or additions.

Inthe drawings;

Figure lis a side elevation eithe devicefin operative position, f

Figure 2 .is.an endelevation of the samelodlringirom the left inFigui'ejL- Figure dis a vertical central section entire axis of the precision button. g

Figure 41s .a fragmentary section on the Figure 5 is an elevation of a, centering pinto be used in connectionwith the button as in fili ure 3. i a l Figure '6 is a detail of the clamping nuts.

Figure '7 is "a, perspective view :01? assists showing the preliminary markings for Jocating holes to be made .in 'eccordance-zwithione of practicing theinvention. v

ployed.

Figure 8 is a similar view showing the initial position of the device in locating a hole according to the markings in Figure 7; I

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the use of a micrometer caliper in connection with the device for locating a second hole spaced a predetermined distance from a hole previously bored.

Figure 10 :is'an elevation of the upper bar ex tension.

Figure 11 is a plan view of the same.

to enter easily and surrounding the upper end of the button and concentric with the axis of the a concave spherical section or zone concentric Figure 12 is an elevation of the lower bar ex-y tension.' I

Figure 13 is a plan of the same.

Figure 14 is an elevation of the device corre sponding to Figure 1. r I Figure ,15 is a diagramillustrating a further application of the invention. 1

Referring to the drawings by numeralseach of which is used to indicate the same or similar parts in the different figures; the device as shown, particularly in Figure 1, consists of upper and lower steel bars I and 2 which are substantially parallel and opposite andfconneoted by'clamping screws 3 and 4. In the form shown both of these screws are rigidly secured in'the lower bar 2 and ex tend upwardly at right angles thereto through suitable'holes in the upper bar I. These screws are spaced in the direction of the length of the bars, screw 3 being near the right hand ends and screw 4 near the centers of'the bars. Nuts 5 and 6 are threaded on to the screws 4 and 3, respectively, nut 5 being threaded downwardly onto the top of the bar I 'n'ear' its center and the nut 6 upwardly against-thebott'om of the bar I at its outeror'right end. -While screws and nuts are shown, other clamping means may be em In the preferred form shown, theupper end of the hole 4' in the bar I, and the lower end of the'hole 3' in said barare cupped in a section of a sphere and the nuts 5, 6 shown in Figure 6 have a protuberance I on one circular face whichis shown in the form'of a spherical section, concentric with the threadedhole 3" in the nut. This spherical protuberance fitting in the threaded cups 1 and 1" just described forms a universal bearing of whichany'suitable form may be emp o do I v It isalso to be noted that in the form shown a'leveling screw B is'threaded downwardly through I thelower bar 2"protruding' downwardly therefrom at its lower end between the screws 3 and 4 just described. 'This screw 8 is for the purpose of slightly'tilting the device into'level position when it is'us'ed" ona drillpress table and/or with parallels under the work to be drilled. 1

.A feature of theinvention which is regarded as of considerable" importance is the centering button In shown in connection with the device or instrument in Figure :1, but more fully illustrated in detail in Figures ,3 and 4; button or member is elongated and has a' central axial hole or bore ll extending from one e'n'd thereof to the other end. This hole is'formed with the maxi mum of precision and is adapted to fit closely upon a drillof the size of the hole which the instrument is adapted to locate, the fit being a close running fit; and .the button of extremely hard material as high'speed steel or carboloy, the central hole It being ground or lapped and exactly sized as aforesaid to fit closely a drill of 0011-" venient size. 'The upper end' o'f the. hole I l is flared or rounded at H to'permit the drill point with the socket axis'and adapted to receive and conform to the surface 12 on the button. The hole or socket [4 also extends upwardly through the top of the bar in the form of a hole of relatively reduced size at l5, being of a size suitable to admit and allow free play of the upper end l5 of the button I0 or of the drill or pin 25 to be described. Below the spherical seating surface [2, the button, as shown, is provided with a peripheralgroove It in which is seated" a spring ring l1 which springs outwardly against the wall of the hole or socket holding the button'yieldingly in' place when inserted in the manner -"in which it is shown in Figure 4. The sp'ringring l1 prevents accidental displacement of the buttori [0 from its socket or hole. I4.

' In the preferred form shown,'the' "button I0 which'is symmetrical about 'a-vertical axis and circular in'cross-se'ctionis tapered, that'is,'of reducing cross-section downwardly from the groove l6 as illustrated at [8 in'Figu're 4, the vhole It being preferably cylindricalthough it may be oppositely tapered if desired, the purpose being that the button Hl'may rock freely on the seat [2" tending to take a position-normal to the surface of the work on which it isplaced as hereinafterdescribed. In the form shown; the taper l8 terminates in a circumferential shoulder 19, below which the button is of cylindrical form; concentric with the button axis, being preferably concave at its lower end as shown at '20 in Figure 3, said concavity being concentric with means; j p

The lower end 2| of the button [0 has itsperipheral edge surface 22 in a plane at'right angles to the axis of the button and when placed ona fiat surface or one which is substantially 'fiat, the button beingfree to oscillate about the center of the spherical bearing [2, [2' "in the upper clampbar I, tends to take a'positioniasaforesaid with its axis'normal to the surface of the work as shown-fatf24 in Figure'l, reference-character.

24 indicating a plate in which'holes are'to be drilled andspaced according'to the practice'of the inventionfl'l'hebottom end of the button being concave facilitates'this operation} tending to compensate for, orovercome "roughness and minor irregularitiesof "the'work surface.

Figure 5 illustrates a centering pin 25 in the form of a hard steel,- pointed pin of a size to fit neatly in the hole "ll in'the butt'on III. A soft rubber handle "26 is a'cohve'nientmeans for'hold ing the pin in use and it prevents inexperienced or careless operators from using it' as a center punch; to be tapped with a hammer which would injure it for the purpose for'which it is intended,

i'. e accurate centering oi the button. The point 25' is ground concentric-to the surface :of the pin which is cylindrical and is hardened; the use of the pin being further hereinafter explained.

In operation assuming that holes are required in a'plate as shown in Figure? at the" intersections A, B, and C. the operator first 'marks' th inter section with'a prick punch and hammer, according to the usual practice. The centering pin 25 I is then placed in the hole I l in the buttonf0 with its point 25' extending beyond the bottom plane of the button and engagingtheprick point mark at theintersection C", Figure"! as best shown in Figure 8; it being assumed for convenience that the diameter of the lower cylii'rdrical portion W of the button W is .750 inch, any convenient diameter being suitable, I! being a ground measuring surface. 7 i

With the thumb of the operator holding the pin 25ft e. pressing it downagainst the prick punch mark at C as in- Figure 8 the nut 5 is screwed downwardly lowering arm l, and bringing the button i8 incontact plate 24, the parts being clamped in position as shown in Figure- 1 by turning the nut B upwardly against the bar I. Whenthe parts are thus clamped with the button lliconcentric with the point C", the pin 25, Figure 8 is removed, leaving the button It as aforesaid with the hole II centered with the point C and normal tothetop surface 24'" of the plate 24'. With the instrument clamped to the plate 24 as in- Figure 1, the operatorproceeds 1 to drill ahole which in the form' shown is as.-

sumed' to be A. inch in: diameter or other convenient size, the drill 50 being placed in the hole H which is assumed tobe a 4 inch hole. The hole thus drilled will be of accurate size .250 inches, as the drillrevolves in the guide hole H in which it fits closelyand cannot wobble, a result difllcult or practically impossible to attain without this or similar equipment. The clamp is now released" by unscrewing or screwing downwardly the nut E, Figure 1 and the operator now proceeds to drill the hole at the point or intersection B", Figure 8 inthe same manner, how'- ever, after setting the device over the intersection B, the operator presses a .250 inch diameter plug 21 in the hole already drilledat C". The operator then measures with the micrometer caliper 2-3 as shown in Figure 9 or other suitable and available instrument spanning the button ['0 at the cylindrical portion t9, the plug 21, and the space X. According to the figures assumed, the button i is .750 inch in diameter, the plug 21 is .250" in diameter and the center-to-center of the holes B and C is 1.750. Hence the radius of button In plus 1.750" plus radius of .250" (diameter plug 21), i. e., .375" plus 1.750" plus Using a suitable micrometer calipers, i. e., 2 inches-3' inches micrometer, the operator adjusts the button by tapping back and forth until the correct overall measurement is obtained by micrometer or other suitable instrument, then tightening the device and drilling as previously described. Otherwise precision guage blocks may be used between the button and plug, the size of block being obtained by subtracting the radii of the button and plug combined from the center-tocenter distance which is 1.750. 4

Subsequent holes as the hole A may be located and drilled as described, measuring from the holes previously drilled. If the remaining hole to be drilled at A, Figure 9 forms a right triangle |AB 'C', the distance of hole A from C can be found by the well-known rule, i. e., the hypotenuse being equal to the square root of the sum of the squares of the sides A'B, and

scribed, two such measurements. being to locate it accurately;

The primary holes thus: drilled may'afterwards -EC0fdill to' the method already described in connection with Figures 7;. 8, and 9:.

The instrument in Figure 1 has a limit, i; e., has a limiting size or span'as to the distance at which holes. can be located from the margin of a plate or sheet, this limit.- is from the center of the button ll to the. nearest edge of screw 4. If for example the. limit for the instrument shown is 4' 8; hole cannot be: drilled ordinarily when the edge of the work or plate to be: bored is more than 4;" fromthe hole; To overcome this difllculty'the: present apparatus. as shown in Figures 1 to 6- may be providectwith extensions as; illustrated in Figures. B0 to 114..

Referring torFi'gure 1, two hole 30- and 3| may be bored in the upper bar inthe endportion adjacent "the button" I! and spaced in the: direction of the. lengtlr'ot the bar and twoholes 32 and 3 3 correspondingly'boredin' the lowerbar and similarly located, the holes extending horizon.-

tally through. the bars from one: vertical side to the other vertical? side; at right angles to the length of the bar as thus shown in Figure 1'.

Referring now to: Figures 1-0 to 14, 11: will be noted that by removing the middlescrew 4 the span. of the instrument may be increased by applying extension members 35 and: 36 as in Figure 14; As shown, both: bar extensions are formed with a. bend 233,; 2:3to permit the screw 41, for which; screw may be: used and. which is seated in. the" outer end? of the lower extension bar 36 and passed through hole 45 in the outer end of' upper extension bar 35 to be aligned with the center of the button I0 and screw 3 which latter screw is located as in Figure 1. To this statement there is the exception that in this instance the nut 6 is placed above the upper bar I. Screw 4'! is engaged by a nut 5 which cooperates with the top of the bar 35 as in Figure 1. Both of the bar extensions 35 and 36 are provided with an ofi'set portion 31, 38 beyond the bend 23 for the purpose just noted, and this offset portion carries two pins 33 and 40 in the respective extension bars adapted to enter the holes 30 to 33 in bars I and 2 shown in Figure 1, thus giving the instrument the appearance which it has as assembled in Figure 14 the button l0 being at the center. With the extension bars, 35 and 36 applied as shown, the reach or capacity or span of the instrument is doubled. Hence, if as primarily designed, its capacity, 1. e., its greatest capacity were suitable for drilling a hole in the center of a plate of 4" radius; with the extension described it can be used to drill at the center of a 16" circle, i. e., 8" radius without BC. This would be done after plugging both holes B and C and measuring over both plugs and button I!) for the precise location of hole A, i. e., the hole A could be located from the hole B and also from the hole C in the manner de- 'and tend saidscrews. If

3,:4-andand nuts 5 andrfi are "referred M as a thrust :member and :screw ;4 as a :tensionmember for which other suitableclamping means may be "substituted; and buttonv -l 0 :may bev supported in operative contact with the work by various means and expedientsotherthanthe arms Having ,thus' described as';,-an example ofthe application 'of my invention .a i 'singleinstrument I claim is new and desireto' secure by Letters- Pat'entis; v v

1'. In'a'n instrument for locatingandspacing holesitoybe bored'with their axesnormal 'to a surface of the work and "of a predetermined precise diameter; the combination of a drill centering-and aligning button having 1a longitudinal bore: concentric with the button axis and of predetermined size-whereby it 'is'adapted' to fit a drill of corresponding diameter, two approximately-parallel clamping arms between which the work is to-be located; thebuttonhaving a universal engagement with one said arm-concentric-with the button axis and extending" therefrom toward the second said' arm, the button further having a .work contacting end at right 'angles toisaid axis and disposed toward saidsecondarm, and clamping means for forcing said arms one'toward the other to clamp the work betweensaid contacting end and said second arm with the button axis normalto said: work surface; comprising two screws fixed in the second said arm, a nut .oneachsaid screw, one screwrand nut intermediate the length of said-arms exerting tensionon said arms, and-the other screwqand'nut between the ends ofsaid arms-remote from the button exerting'a thrust on said arms, spherical seats-in the first said arm. for said .nuts'and' spherical faces .on saicrnuts contacting saidseats when in clamping-rposition, thexumversal connections of said :aes r ov clamping means cooperating with. the universal allowing the normal clamping ofsaid button to the work without bringing the arms to parallel positionione-with the other, I I

y 2.- An instrument according to claimfll in which the button is loosely and universally retained from falling from its seat in the first said arm, V

3. In; an instrument for locating and spacing holes to be bored with their axes normal to a surface of-thework and of a predetermined precise diameter, the-combinationof a drill centering and-aligning button having a longitudinal .bore concentric withthe button axis and of predetermined size whereby it, is adapted to fit a drill of-corresponding diameter, two approximately, parallel clamping, arms between which the work is to be located, the button havinga universal engagement with one saidarm concentric With'the buttonaxis and extending therefrom toward' the second said arm, the button further having aworkcontacting end at right angles to'said axis 'andvdisposed toward saidsec- 0nd arm, and clamping means for forcing-said arms one'toward the other to clamp the work between said contacting end and said second arm with the button axis normal to said work said button may be removed and-suitable clamping means may be placed at the outer ends of said extensions increasing the maximum spacing from the edge ;of the workof the holes which may be located by the instrument. v w j I I Y SAMUEL- R. BOYER: 

